Torchwood: Coming Home
by Hayley-Saxon-xx
Summary: Jack returns to Cardiff for the first time after those five days. He is a broken man but Gwen has enough to deal with after the birth of her baby boy. Can Jack make it through without Ianto? references to Jack/Ianto. Gwen/Rhys.
1. Prologue

**A/N: I know I've done a COE plot but this got in my brain and ate away until it was the only thing I could think of =P Hope u like it, It cost me every brain cell I have!!!!!! This is dedicated to Gwencooper08 for being so excited about this fic and for making me excited about it =D**

Gwen slowly lowered herself down onto the couch next to Rhys. It had been three months since Jack had left in front of her eyes and it still hurt to think about it. She wished that Rhys hadn't been there so she could tell Jack how she really felt, although she doubted he would say it back after how depressed he was after the 456 incident and after Ianto… She didn't like thinking about that either. Martha came out of the bathroom and sat on the sofa beside them. She had been staying at their flat for the past week because Gwen's baby was due soon and Martha wanted to look after Gwen until the baby came. Rhys yelled at the screen, at what, Gwen didn't know. He was watching the rugby and had been since 5 o clock. It was… she looked at her watch, half eight. How long can these people play rugby?! Gwen felt yet another twinge in her tummy. Probably just the baby kicking or something, she reassured herself. She sighed and tried to concentrate on the rugby but felt another twinge. She grabbed her stomach, giving up the plan she had of hiding it from Martha and Rhys. Martha had gone to make a drink now so she wasn't there.

"Ahh..." She whimpered.

"Can you quite down, love? I'm trying to watch the Rugby! We're winning!" Rhys shushed.

"Oh, god!" She grabbed her stomach again. Then she felt it. The couch became wet under her and her face contorted into shock.

"Gwen! Please!!! I'm missing the rugby!" He complained.

"Rhys, my waters have broke." Gwen explained. Rhys practically fell off his seat as she said this and he turned and grabbed her stomach, forgetting about the rugby.

"Seriously?!" He shrieked. Gwen nodded. "MARTHA!!!" he yelled. Martha came running in from the kitchen.

"Yes?" She answered politely.

"Gwen's waters have broke." Rhys panicked.

"Oh, god." Martha put the glass she was holding down and ran over to Gwen and helped her to her feet. "Let's get you to hospital." Martha smiled.

"Martha?" Gwen asked. "Can I borrow your phone? Coz you can call across the universe, right? I wanna call Jack. Tell him his godson is coming." Gwen grinned.

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Gwen lay back in the hospital bad as she suffered another contraction. She had called Jack about 3 hours ago and he said he was on his way. Although, he was rather in polite over the phone. Gwen suspected he was 'busy'. She grabbed Rhys' hand, who was sat beside her and crushed the bones as she felt the next contraction. She heard boots running down the hall and saw a man in a long blue coat stop at the foot of her bed. He grinned at her with his perfect teeth.

"I'd give you a hug but I can't get up…" She smiled, embarrassed. Jack swaggered over to her and pulled her into a tight hug. She wrapped her arms round him, practically suffocating him.

"Whoa! Gwen!" He exclaimed.

"Sorry." She smiled and let go of him. Rhys stood up and offered Jack his chair, who sat on it.

"I'll go and get us some drinks. Want anything, love?" Rhys asked.

"Some absolutely FREEZING water please." Gwen sighed and breathed through her next contraction. After Rhys had gone Gwen looked at Jack. "How are you? After the whole... you know."

"Yeah…" Jack sighed. "I'm getting there. I'm just… It's Ianto…"

"Yeah?" Gwen smiled.

"Yeah. I promised him I'd remember him. But how is that possible when he's slipping away now? I think of him and all he is… is a blur of a once vivid man. I can't remember his beautiful welsh voice or his laugh. I can no longer taste his coffee on my tongue or feel his lips against mine. And that terrifies me, Gwen. I loved him. God, I loved him so much and I lost him around nine months ago and he's already leaving me. He was right: in a thousand years time, I won't remember him. I'll remember his name and those three words: You'll forget me. And I'll think to myself… I've failed him. Whoever he was… I've failed him…" Jack sighed, close to tears.

"Good to hear you getting it all off your chest, Jack. But you're in a hospital not on Oprah or whatever. And seriously, Jack… I'm a little busy at the minute trying to have a baby!!!!" Gwen snapped as she felt another contraction.

"Sorry." Jack looked down. Rhys came in holding two cups of coffee and a glass of water. He passed the water to Gwen, who gulped it down, and one of the coffees to Jack. Jack sipped it and grimaced. He put on the side and shook his head.

"Don't you dare start crying coz it doesn't taste as good as Ianto's!!!" Gwen spat at Jack before he even said a word.

"I wasn't going to." Jack looked embarrassed.

"Sorry, that's her bloody hormones." Rhys laughed. "How are you doing after the 'incident'?"

"I'm ok." Jack nodded. "As good as I'll ever be." A nurse came in and checked how dilated Gwen was.

"Ok. I'm going to need you to push, Mrs. Williams." The nurse smiled.

"Does it hurt more than the contractions?!!" Gwen panicked.

"I'm afraid so, Miss." The nurse nodded.

"Oh shit." Gwen breathed. Jack and Rhys grabbed her hands and reassured her.

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Gwen smiled down on her little baby boy. He looked so small in her arms. She was exhausted and sweat beaded on her forehead but she refused to let sleep take her; she wanted to stay for eternity staring at her baby. Rhys stroked her hair and smiled at her. He was sat on the chair beside her bed and looked as if he was just as exhausted as Gwen. They heard a creak and saw Jack enter the room smiling.

"Hey." He said softly. "How are you both? Oh, I mean, you three?"

"We're all good." Gwen nodded. Jack walked to her bedside and looked down at the baby. "Especially little Ianto here."

"Wha…?" Jack grinned, completely shocked. "Ianto?" Gwen nodded.

"Thought we agreed on Geraint Williams?" Rhys looked puzzled.

"I like Ianto Geraint Williams better." Gwen looked at Rhys and smiled.

"Me too." He nodded and kissed the top of her head.

"Now you'll never forget him." Gwen said softly.

"Nah, I never could anyway." Jack shook his head. "All that before was paranoia. If I think all those things come flooding back to me. And I close my eyes and I feel him and smell him next to me. Then I open them again… and I'm all alone." Jack chocked back his tears. Gwen passed Rhys baby Ianto and put a hand on Jack's arm.

"Hey, you're not alone." She smiled. "You have us."

"Yeah." Jack shrugged. "But you're not him."

"Please don't, Jack." Gwen sighed, as Jack broke into tears.

"I just want him back. No. I NEED him back." Jack sobbed. "But he's gone."

"Come on; please don't do this on Ianto's birthday." Gwen pleaded.

"What?" Jack looked puzzled. "Oh, baby Ianto's birthday! See, I thought I'd forgotten Ianto's birthday." Jack sighed and composed himself. "I'm gonna go. Let you two get some rest."

"Wait, Jack." Gwen stopped him before he left. "Where you going to sleep?"

"I know just the place." Jack smiled and then left.

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**There we are! First chapter! Done! Now you have to review! =P **

**You will, right? Please xxx **

**xxxx**


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: I'm updating this one again! I would update my other fics but writers block is an ass and I'm stuck on all of them, all except this one. Well, I would've been stuck if it wasn't for Gwencooper08 who gave me the idea of Jack crying over Ianto =P so this is dedicated to you!!! Again… This may not be very good because I don't feel well and my throat is gone (including my voice) and I have a splitting headache. I should be in bed trying to recover but for some reason I'm sat here typing. Lots of Janto flashbacks. Thought I'd warn you. **

Jack strolled down the dark street of Cardiff. He could see his own breath and feel the frost in the air through his military coat. It was December and the lampposts were lit high above him and strung between them were lots of glittering fairy lights each a different colour to the one beside it. They looked like fallen stars, suspended between the lampposts. A few of the houses had lights on their roofs and had lights of Santa and his Reindeer with signs saying: _Santa stop here!_ Or _Ho, ho, ho, merry Christmas. _Even through the drawn curtains of the other houses, Jack could see Christmas decorations and a green Christmas tree, the baubles and Fairy lights scattered on them were like the fruit of the tree and the tinsel wrapped around it was like the snow glittering on its branches. At the top of each tree was an angel or a star, guarding the tree and the presents below. Each house seemed as if it was shining with excitement and was filled with Christmas spirit. Each house but one. One house, in the center of one of the rows was dull and unlit. It seemed almost invisible to the other glowing houses. No Christmas decorations sat on the roof, there was no Christmas tree in one of the rooms nor was there light coming from it. There was no Christmas spirit seeping from that house, instead it seemed cold and unwelcoming. One would have thought that inside the house was some grumpy old man or woman unwilling to celebrate Christmas. But Jack knew different. He knew the man that had once occupied that house loved Christmas and used to walk around trying to lighten up everyone around him like a little child getting over excited about the days that were approaching. Jack also knew that the man loved decoration his house (even if he never really stayed there) and the hub with decorations. Especially mistletoe. That was something, Jack suspected, that the man loved even more then Christmas itself. He used to approach Jack with mistletoe in his hand even if the others were watching. Jack laughed as he thought of the Christmas's him and the young Welshman that occupied the house spent with the other people in his team. Then he stopped abruptly realizing that, not only was he alone and laughing to himself but that he was never going to have that again. Not with those people anyway. The Welshman was gone. As were the others in the team.

Jack sighed and walked towards the dark empty house. He took out a small silver rusty key from his pocket and slid it into the lock. He turned it and the door opened slowly and silently. Jack stepped inside. The house was as cold and dark inside as it had appeared outside. The house hadn't been visited for around nine or ten months now as the man that lived in the house preferred to stay with someone else and he never got a chance to return to his home. Jack pushed the door behind him gently and it shut with a click. Jack strolled through the darkness into the living room and switched the light on. The house looked exactly as it had done the last time Jack had seen it. He hadn't expected it to look drastically different he just didn't expect it to be identical to the way the Welshman had left it. There was coffee cups scattered across the table and a newspaper lay on the couch which Jack was now sitting on. He leaned over and checked the date: 22nd of February. Jack choked back tears and headed over to the kitchen. He opened the cupboard and inside was a bag of coffee beans and a few tins and a pot noodle. Jack swung the cupboard shut and walked into the bedroom. It was then that the smell of the young Welshman hit Jack like a wave. Jack stopped fighting the tears and allowed them to spill down his cheeks. Scattered on the floor was a discarded suit. Jack picked up the shirt and smelt it. He had longed for this smell for so long and now he had smelt he wished he hadn't so he could stop all the pain and heartbreak that was flooding back to him. He threw the shirt back on the floor in frustration that he had allowed his lover to die. He flopped on the bed, tears pouring down his cheeks. He thought more about the Welshman and all the things they had done together.

_Ianto looked over at a solemn looking Jack and raised an eyebrow. _

"_If you're interested…" Ianto begun. "I've still got that stopwatch." Jack didn't quite catch on and looked at Ianto, a puzzled expression on his face. Ianto smiled softly as if dealing with a child that wasn't very bright. _

"_Well. Well, Think about it. Lots of things you can do with a stopwatch." Ianto tried to keep a straight face. Jack caught on and a huge grin spread across his face. He was surprised; Ianto wasn't normally this… forward. _

"_Oh, yeah." Jack nodded a laugh escaping his lips. "I can think of a few." _

"_There's quite a list." Ianto reassured. Jack smiled in astonishment at the normally shy and quiet Welshman. If Ianto was nervous, he had no intention of showing it and Jack certainly could tell if he was. _

"_I'll send the others home early." Jack said, taking charge of the situation. "See you in my office in ten." Jack instructed. _

"_That's ten minutes…" Ianto pulled his stopwatch out of his pocket and clicked it. "…and counting." Ianto flirted. Jack smiled at the Welshman and walked away._

_------------_

_Jack walked into the hub holding Gwen's hand. He was as white as a sheet and his eyes were bloodshot and had dark circles beneath them. He glanced round the hub: Tosh and Ianto were working on some computer piece sadness swam in both their eyes. Tosh glanced over to them and her eyes widened. Was she really seeing that? She can't have been. She tried to talk herself out of it but the urge was too great she stood up and left Ianto and ran towards to the two people stood at the other side of the hub. She swung her arms around Jack and then stepped away from him. _

_Ianto followed Tosh's gaze and saw her run to someone on the other side of the hub. It was Jack. Ianto felt his breath catch in his throat and happiness flooded over him. Ianto stood up and walked over to Jack. Perhaps this wasn't the Jack he knew. Perhaps Jack didn't want him anymore. Ianto didn't really know how to deal with the situation so he extended a hand in order to remain formal but friendly. Jack seemed to ignore this and pulled Ianto into a tight hug. Ianto wrapped his arms around Jack, the smell of 51__st__ century pheromones overpowering him. As an addition to the hug, Jack put his hand on Ianto's cheek and pulled him into a kiss. At first Ianto worried about the others that were watching but soon gave up and deepened the kiss. Jack ran his hand through Ianto's hair and stopped it at the back of his neck. He then pulled away with a grin. Jack defiantly hadn't changed then. _

_---------_

_Jack pushed the door of the office block open and waltzed into the empty office. Ianto walked in behind him and headed to one of the desks and started to search through it. _

"_Oh, Yeah!" Jack beamed. "Loving that officy feel! __I always get excited in these places, to me there exotic!" Ianto continued to look through desks and paperwork while Jack stands leaning on the wall. "Office romances…" Jack continued. "Photocopying your butt… Well, maybe not your butt…" Jack laughed. "Although as we're here why don't we photo…" _

"_The Rift was active at these co-ordinates approximately 200 feet above ground." Ianto interrupted, obviously annoyed at Jack. "Which means this floor… or the roof." He headed to another desk and searched through that as well. _

"_How are you, Ianto?" Jack looked at Ianto, concern painted on his face. Ianto paused, trying to think of an answer that wouldn't give away too much about how he was feeling._

"_All the better for having you back, Sir." Ianto replied. _

"_Can we maybe drop the sir, now?" Jack asked. He thought about the dreadful things that had happened to him during the year that never was. "I mean while I was away I was thinking, maybe we could, when this is all done…dinner, a movie." Jack offered. He was uncharacteristically nervous and it was that which took Ianto by surprise rather than the offer itself. _

"_Are, Urm…" Ianto spluttered. "Are you asking me out on a date?" _

"_Interested?" Jack replied. Ianto scoffed. _

"_As long as it's not in an office." Ianto stammered. "Some fetishes should be kept to yourself." _

"_Looks like we'll have to go through every drawer, bin and plant pot." Jack sighed, changing the subject. _

"_Right, Ok, I'll do this floor; don't want you getting over excited." Ianto laughed. Jack smiled. "And you take the roof; you're good on roofs." Jack nodded and headed towards the door he goes to push it open but is stopped by Ianto._

"_Jack." Ianto called. Jack turned and looked at Ianto. "Why are we helping him?"_

"_He's a reminder of my past. I want him gone." Jack replied softly. Jack went to leave and Ianto started to search another desk. "Oh, by the way." Jack turns again. "Was that a yes?" _

"_Yes. Yes!" Ianto nodded, embarrassed. Jack smiled and raised his eyebrows. He walked out of the room, pleased with his date._

_----------_

_Jack sat at his desk doing more paperwork. He heard footsteps coming from the stairs. He spoke softly, knowing there was only one person it could be but he didn't turn around._

"_This time tomorrow, he'll be back in 1918." Jack carried on reading his paperwork._

"_Back in his own time." Ianto replied as he entered Jack's office. "Would you go back to yours? If you could." _

_Jack smiled and then paused, considering his answer. "Why would you miss me?" _

"_Yep." Ianto confessed and strolled slowly to Jack's desk. _

"_I left home a long time ago." Jack shook his head. __I don't really know where I really belong." He paused. "Maybe that doesn't matter anymore." _

"_I know you get lonely." Ianto sat on the edge of Jack's desk and looked down at the time-lost man beside him. Jack shut the folder he was reading and looked up at Ianto. _

"_Going home wouldn't fix that. Being here, I've seen things I never dreamt I'd see. Loved people I never would have known if I'd just stayed where I was." He looked up at Ianto and waited until he caught his eye. Once they had eye contact, Jack spoke. "And I wouldn't change that for the world." _

_Ianto stared into Jack's eyes for a moment, shocked by Jack's words. He then leaned in and kissed Jack passionately with his hand on the back of Jack's head. After a moment Jack pulled Ianto closer and cupped his face. Jack felt utterly out of character as the Welshman kissed him passionately. Jack suspected it was because Ianto was controlling and leading the kiss which was unusual. But Jack doubted that. Perhaps it was because he was feeling things for the Welshman that he hadn't before. _

_--------_

_Jack was sat at his desk while Ianto peered down at the booklet of wedding dresses Jack was flicking through. He stopped on a particular page and nodded. _

"_Nope, I like that one." He looked up at Ianto. "Good choice."_

"_I estimated Gwen's size from the hub security laser scans." Ianto told him. Jack nodded. "As you know, my dad was a master tailor." Jack can't help but looked impressed. "He could size a man's inside leg measurement by his stride across the shop threshold." Jack smiled at Ianto._

"_Ahh. The family eye. Remind me to test it sometime." Jack flirted. _

"_Well, if later on…" Ianto was interrupted by Owen bursting into the office. _

_--------_

_Jack swayed to the music that was playing through the hall. Gwen swayed with him. Someone approached them from behind. _

"_May I… erm…?" Ianto spoke softly but he was ignored by the two people who were dancing. He cleared his throat, trying to get their attention. Jack and Gwen pulled apart and turned to look at Ianto. _

"_Yes." Gwen nodded and went to dance with Ianto who went to dance with Jack. Gwen looked slightly embarrassed at her mistake and left the two men to dance. _

_--------_

_Jack kissed Ianto passionately and he grabbed Ianto's waist and moved his hands lower. They continued to kiss passionately for a while and were interrupted by the door of the hothouse swinging open and Gwen walking in. _

"_Jack, I…" She began. Jack and Ianto pulled apart. "Oh god!!! I'm sorry." She exited as quickly as possible, giggling under her breath. Ianto grabbed his shirt and put it on he followed Gwen outside and began to button his shirt up. _

"_Ianto." Gwen smiled. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize." _

"_Doesn't matter." Ianto shook his head and buttoned up as quickly as possible. _

"_And, I wouldn't come in if I'd known…" _

"_Always room for one more." Jack flirted as he waltzed out of the hothouse, shirt on but unlike Ianto, he leaves it unbuttoned. He put one hand on his own hip and leant on the railing with the other. "We could've used you an hour ago for a naked hide and seek." Jack smiled. Ianto shook his head and blushed. _

"_He cheats." Ianto smiled he was embarrassed but still continued to speak. "He always cheats." Then Ianto smiled as he thought about it. _

"_Was there something you wanted?" Jack asked Gwen, getting serious. _

"_Jonah Bevan. The missing boy. I'll make it my own special project, my responsibility, nothing to do with anyone else. I'm not letting it go" Gwen demanded more then asked. _

"_No." Jack said simply. _

"_What?" Gwen looked shocked. _

"_I don't know how I can be any clearer." Jack snapped but still remained a calm tone._

"_Oh, well... Tosh has her projects, so does Ianto." She indicated Ianto who was busy__ doing his belt up__ "Why can't I?" _

"_Leave it alone." Jack instructed. _

"_I CAN'T." She emphasized. Jack stares at her for a while and she stares back. It was like a staring competition between the two. Ianto looks uncomfortably between them. Jack then turned his attention to Ianto. _

"_Coming back in?" He asked softly. "Work to do." _

"_Yep." _

_-----------_

Jack didn't realize that he was sobbing uncontrollably until his memories had finished. Jack swung his legs off the side of Ianto's bed and stood up. He walked over to the dressing table and started looking through the drawers. In the bottom drawer Jack saw a battered leather diary, a red box and a note. He opened the box and inside was a shiny gold watch. He picked up the note and read it. It was written in neat handwriting with a smooth fountain pen. It said:

_Cariad, _

_If you're reading this… I suppose it means I'm dead. I'd never let you look through my drawers otherwise. I bought this as something for you to remember me by. Every time you look at the time, think of me, please. Don't forget me. It's my one and only request. You probably don't really care that I'm dead. Maybe a little upset but not drastically, not like I would be if I lost you. Because you don't feel like I do. I love you, Jack Harkness. I suppose now is my only chance to say it and not get embarrassed or upset if you don't say it back. I bet I told you before, while I was dying. If you said it back then great, I died a happy man, no matter how I died. If you didn't then you've hurt me, Jack. Hurt me badly. On with lighter things, anyway. I hope you like this watch, I saw this in the shop and thought of you. So, I bought it. It was really pricy by the way so you owe me! I love you, Cariad. Never forget me. _

_Ianto Jones (Yan) x  
_

Jack dropped the note and it drifted to the floor slowly. He put the watch around his wrist and sobbed again.

"I'll never forget you, Cariad. I love you." Jack whispered softly.

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